By Cherin Geevarghese

Abstract 

The growing certainties of climate change pave a path towards an evolving refugee crisis in the contemporary realms of the Anthropocene. The vulnerable communities of ecologically sensitive regions are often the neglected casualties of natural hazards. However, due to a lack of recognition and legal protection, climate refugees are at major risk. Amidst the challenges faced by climate refugees, India, as a developing country yet to recognise the term “refugee”, has not signed up for the Geneva Convention of 1951. Thus, ecologically sensitive regions such as the Indian Sundarbans, a deltaic region inhabited by five million people, are vulnerable to climate change. 

Introduction 

In the contemporary discourse on the climate crisis, there is a focus on ecologically sensitive themes that span global, regional, and local levels. This emphasis is crucial for addressing the emerging challenges the world faces, ranging from rising sea levels, coastal erosion, drought, and pollution. Notably, many of the “forgotten victims” of climate change belong to vulnerable communities in ecologically sensitive regions, primarily in third-world countries and ocean nations. The ongoing climate crisis appears to be reshaping various factors influencing the world’s functioning. Beyond concerns about droughts, death, famine, and rising sea levels, climate change is contributing to another pressing issue – the mobility of people. These individuals are often referred to as “climate refugees,” “environmental refugees,” or “climate-induced migrants.” The phenomenon of climate-induced mobility has significant impacts on various ecologically sensitive regions. The India-Bangladesh Sundarbans, also known as the Ganges-Brahmaputra and Meghna Delta, a UNESCO-declared world heritage site, is one such ecologically sensitive region. It houses approximately 5 million people within its confined deltaic areas, characterized by marshy soil. This essay attempts to identify the refugee crisis in the Indian Sundarbans and unpack the possible mitigation strategies that can be developed to mitigate the crisis. 

Migratory trends in the Sundarbans Region 

The regulations in the coastal delta region, which include marshy areas, often impose restrictions on industrial development and economic growth. Consequently, many male members of the region are compelled to migrate in search of labor opportunities. Initially, the migration trend in the Indian Sundarbans can be traced back to around 1968 when villagers were displaced to other districts within West Bengal, such as Hooghly, Howrah, and Medinipur, in search of casual labor. Over time, the destinations of these migrants expanded to include other states within India. Some individuals ventured as far as Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries, resulting in massive cross-border migration. By 2005, parts of Gujarat and Orissa began witnessing the settlement of migrant construction workers from Sundarbans.

Continuous weather events such as Amphan constant floodings, many inhabitants were frequently forcibly displaced. Back in 2009, Cyclone Aila displaced 2.3 million in India and nearly a million in Bangladesh. However, following Cyclone Aila in 2009, there was an increased tendency for migration to the state of Kerala. The Sundarban Delta has always been susceptible to harsh climatic conditions and natural disasters, such as rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and frequent cyclones. The cyclones, including Bulbul (2019), Amphan (2020), and Yaas (2021), have caused significant economic and infrastructural damage, increased casualties, and loss of homes and livelihoods. The primary occupations in the region, agriculture, and aquaculture, have suffered due to soil salinization.

Despite these challenges, the residents of the Indian Sundarbans have sought to build climate resilience and adapt to the critical climatic conditions, akin to how they have adapted to the ongoing human-tiger conflict. In addition to the chaotic climatic conditions and the degradation of natural resources, there are regulations and restrictions that prohibit individuals from accessing natural resources to prevent exploitative activities, such as wood collection from deep forests. The villagers as well as the locals gradually found migration as a natural and rewarding process and started to actively participate in mobility rather than investing in agricultural prosecutions and modern technologies for cultivation. Thus, the lack of local infrastructure as well as the lack of governmental services at the grassroots level exerts pressure on the region’s youth to migrate towards different areas, making labor migration a prominent trend among the people. 

The climate-induced displacements in India are of two types. Firstly, increased migration is likely within India due to the effects of climate change such as drought, desertification, sea level rise, water scarcity and low food productivity, and melting glaciers. Secondly, climate change might lead to increased flow of migrants from neighboring countries due to the accelerated effects of climate change.  However, after identifying the constant disaster damages and critical cyclones that hit the India – Bangladesh Sundarbans delta, the mobility of migrants have surged, not only within India but also from the regions of Bangladesh. In this scenario, it is vital to unpack and identify the approach that the Indian government sought to build in order to recognise the climate-induced migrants. 

Legal Constraints and Challenges in Law 

Due to the lack of definition for climate-induced migrants, or “climate refugees” under the international legal framework, they lack legal protection and recognition. Therefore, in the absence of an accepted definition of environmental refugees, migrants are rarely provided with asylum under the Geneva Refugee Convention of 1951. Displacement due to climate change is not a new trend. However, the consequences of sea level rise due to the climate crisis are predictable at the present moment. For instance, as the certainties of climate change and its effects keep increasing, it is believed that the same would pave a path towards large scale forced migration. The sea level rise and melting glaciers may displace a large number of people, forcing them to migrate. The rising number of “climate refugees,” also known as climate-induced migrants, especially in South Asian countries, has been a focal point in contemporary discussions. The ongoing climate crisis has also paved the way for a potential refugee crisis. The refugee convention barely includes climate-induced migrants as per its laws. However, the absence of a customary law barely hinders individual nation-states from developing and implementing common policies, attitudes, and definitions to provide asylums for climate-induced migration. 

Climate Resilience and Disaster Management 

The continuous natural disasters followed by the ongoing climate crisis have pushed the government of India to develop national-level policies to mitigate the climate crisis as a whole. As of now, the government of India maintains the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) under which, the male members of the family get the opportunity to work for 100 days of paid employment. This program can be formulated in such a way that it absorbs the possibilities of migrants. However, due to a lack of awareness, many individuals fail to avail the provisions offered by the policy. Followed by which, to enhance climate resilience, men and women equally indulge in mangrove cultivation. The same is conducted to enhance the strength of the embankments and prevent soil erosion. Organic farming and Integrated farming are some of the green livelihood measures that people adopt to enhance sustainable forms of farming as well as agriculture. The governmental intervention also extends to training programs as well as disaster risk management efforts that the governments establish along with the initiatives of NGOs in order to augment climate resilience. The establishment of forest laws nationwide constitutes another set of policies that the government initiated to protect the biodiversity of ecologically sensitive areas. 

Conclusion 

Even though climate change is not the only factor that pressurizes the mobility of migrants in an ecologically sensitive region like the Sundarbans, the increasing certainties about climate change and the possible threat that it may pose towards ecologically vulnerable geographical entities should be considered with utmost priority.  Studies reveal and warn of massive migration due to the ongoing climate crisis from Bangladesh to India in the future. It may put additional pressure on the resource base of areas they will migrate to in India and threaten the livelihoods of the local inhabitants within India. However, recognition of climate-induced migrants at the national level and a suitable definition about the same for sending and settling nations is one of the most vital initiatives to protect the refugees of the climate crisis. Specific policies and protection for migrants of ecologically fragile deltaic regions like the Sundarbans should be established should come into significance in order to facilitate protection for the migrating communities. 

Author’s Bio 

Cherin Geevarghese is an undergraduate student pursuing his BA (Hons.) in Liberal arts and Humanities, with a major in International Relations and Environmental Sustainability studies. His interest primarily lies in the fields of Climate Change, Migration and Mobility and Urban Studies. He is currently the team cluster lead for the “Environment and Social issues” cluster and a columnist for the Nickeled and Dimed. He also serves as the team co-lead for the CIDS (Conversation In Development Studies) Journal. 

Image Source: Cherin Geevarghese